Our Michael Yiakoumi with Napoli manager Carlos Ancelotti who is one of only three managers to have won the UEFA Champions League three times (twice with Milan and once with Real Madrid), and one of only two to have managed teams in four finals. He has won the FIFA Club World Cup twice, managing Milan and Real Madrid. Ancelotti is also one of seven people to have won the European Cup or Champions League as both a player and a manager. He is regarded as one of the best and most successful managers of all time.
An Aaron Ramsey strike and a Kalidou Koulibaly own goal gave Arsenal a 2-0 victory over Napoli in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday – and a rare and valuable clean sheet to take to Italy in a week’s time.
Arsenal took the lead in the 14th minute through Ramsey, who finished off a sweeping move down the right by calmly slotting the ball past Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret.
They doubled the advantage 10 minutes later after a moment of individual brilliance from Lucas Torreira, who dashed through the Napoli midfield before spinning and switching the ball to his left foot and letting fly.
The Uruguayan’s shot took a heavy deflection off Senegal defender Koulibaly and was registered as an own-goal.
“We can be happy with this result, but (Napoli) are going to be more competitive away. Our challenge – our success – is going to be if we can be competitive away,” Arsenal manager Unai Emery told reporters, repeatedly describing the tie as “50:50”.
The Gunners tried to increase their advantage as the first half wore on but they failed to capitalise despite several shots on goal from strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, while Napoli had Meret to thank for numerous saves.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men poured forward at the start of the second half in search of an away goal, with striker Lorenzo Insigne’s effort ruled offside and Koulibaly denied moments later when keeper Petr Cech tipped his header over the bar.
ARSENAL CHANCES
The game quickly opened up and Ramsey, who will join Napoli’s rivals and Serie A leaders Juventus in the close season, and Nacho Monreal created chances at the other end but were unable to outwit Meret again.
Napoli went closest to scoring when Insigne raced down the right and crossed to Piotr Zielinski, but the Pole’s right-foot effort shot up over the bar.
“We had our chances and wasted them. We know we didn’t have a good game. Now we have to think about the return leg,” Insigne told Sky Sports.
“The away goal would have been vital. We have to stay focused, learn from our mistakes and have more courage next week,” he said.
The Italian side have now failed to beat English opponents away from their San Paolo stadium in nine attempts in European competition, and will need to find some scoring form at home if they are to progress in the competition.
“I think the second half gave us some idea how we can play the second game,” Ancelotti told reporters, suggesting his side had more of the run of play as Arsenal’s players tired, a number of them pulling up with cramp as the game neared the end.
A late header by defender Marcos Alonso and Kepa Arrizabalaga’s goalkeeping heroics helped Chelsea beat a stubborn Slavia Prague 1-0 in their Europa League quarter-final, first leg on Thursday.
Spaniard Alonso broke the deadlock for the west London side in the 86th minute when he sneaked behind two defenders to connect with Willian’s cross and score what proved to be the winner in the first competitive meeting between the two sides.
“I’m very happy with the result and also with the performance, because at this moment we are able to suffer, in the past we were not,” Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri told reporters.
“In the past, when we were in trouble, we conceded immediately a goal, now we did not concede anything.”
Sarri made seven changes from the team that beat West Ham United 2-0 in the Premier League on Monday, with talisman Eden Hazard coming off the bench for the last half an hour.
Willian’s fierce shot hit the bar in the first half before the hosts had a chance to open the scoring on the counter in the 69th minute when Ibrahim Traore drive into the Chelsea box and struck a shot that was superbly punched away by Kepa.
The Spanish goalkeeper then kept out left-back Jan Boril’s close-range shot in the 80th minute.
Alonso’s goal gave the Blues a vital away goal as they put behind them bitter memories of the stadium where they lost the 2013 Super Cup to Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout.
Slavia defender Simon Deli said: “It’s disappointing because we did very well and in the last minutes we conceded this kind of goal. Of course, it’s difficult for us, but it’s football.
“Now we’ll prepare for our next game – the derby – and then against Chelsea in London,” he added referring to the Czech league leaders’ game against third-placed Sparta on Sunday.
